Back in 2012, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio got its start by developing Binary Domain. As Ryu Ga Gotoku was starting work on Sega's Yakuza line of games, it was also experimenting with this sci-fi shooter. For those who don't remember it, Binary Domain was a third-person shooter set several decades in the future, exploring a time when global warming has flooded much of the world and forced humanity to rely on robotics and AI more than ever. When these AI become hostile and start infiltrating human society, it's up to Dan Marshall and the rest of Rust Crew to get to the heart of the hostile AI and save humanity.
In its time, Binary Domain got fairly positive reviews for its storytelling, but its innovative voice command system didn't function as well as critics hoped. In spite of somewhat mixed reviews, though, it was a fairly strong start for Ryu Ga Gotoku. Now that the studio has been working with Sega for nearly ten years, it seems like it's about time that Binary Domain gets a remaster. Binary Domain director Daisuke Sato recently expressed interest in remastering the game, and the whole game industry seems enthusiastic about remasters right now. It's just a matter of Sega giving the game a chance.
A Binary Domain Remaster Would Be Timely
The video game industry is pretty young as far as entertainment industries are concerned. Now that home consoles have been around for about 40 years, though, there are more than enough old but beloved video games out there to fuel a trend of remakes and remasters. The industry is taking another crack at all kinds of games, from Blizzard's Diablo 2: Resurrected to Nintendo's Super Mario 3D All-Stars. Even Nintendo Switch Online's game library contributes to the trend, breathing new life into old games through gameplay improvements and online multiplayer. Considering all this interest in game industry milestones, a Binary Domain remake would hardly be out of place.
The specific themes of Binary Domain happen to be great for the current moment too. Thanks to Cyberpunk 2077 and upcoming peers like Stray, the cyberpunk genre is surging in popularity. Binary Domain particularly deserves a remaster due to this trend on top of the remake trend. Even if there's a lot of other cyberpunk games in the works, Binary Domain sets itself apart through its heavy emphasis on AI and its setting, which teeters on the brink of a global warming apocalypse. A Binary Domain remaster could inspire a ton of other developers and keep the cyberpunk genre active and creative.
Binary Domain Should Get Another Chance
The game industry context aside, though, Binary Domain's core concept was solid enough to warrant a remaster. Fans loved its trust and consequence systems, which spurred players to bond and protect their teammates whenever commanding them. What's more, it had a voice recognition system that allowed players to say commands for their team out loud, which was a brilliant innovation in realism and player immersion. Although Binary Domain's voice system didn't work perfectly, technology has changed a lot since then. Indie title Phasmophobia showcased the potential of voice recognition in 2020, so a company as big as Sega shouldn't give up on Binary Domain's system. On the contrary, it should let Ryu Ga Gotoku return to the IP and double down.
A remaster would give Ryu Ga Gotoku the chance to redeem Binary Domain's flawed voice commands while presenting the well-loved parts of Binary Domain to a new audience. What's more, it could open up avenues to new games. Not only did Daisuke Sato express interest in remastering Binary Domain, but he has said before that he'd be interested in making a Binary Domain sequel. At the end of the day, the ball is in Sega's court. Sega should strongly consider trying to reestablish Binary Domain; there's a lot of untapped potential worth exploring.
Binary Domain is available now for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.